Howard Winchester Blackwell – Seaman Second Class, United States Navy

Courtesy of Norma W. Matthews: 31 May 2005:

I never got to meet my uncle, Howard Winchester Blackwell, as he died when I was about one year old, but he has a special place in my heart, as my son and he have the same birthday.

From his Military Record I have this:

Howard Winchester Blackwell born March 17, 1910 in Atlanta Georgia.   He joined the United States Navy in Cleveland, Ohio on July 3, 1928 for an enlistment of four years.

After training at Great Lakes Naval Center, he was assigned to the USS John D. Ford, and then the USS Blackhawk then back to the USS John D. Ford, and again to the USS Blackhawk.

He died at Chinwangtao, China on the 17th day of May, 1930, at 1605 hours of Cerebrospinal Fever, signed by A.G. Dibrell, Commander, USN. He was a Seaman Second Class when he died.

I was at Arlington Cemetery one time. It started raining very hard and we had to leave, I never got to locate his grave to “pay my respects.” Again, many thanks.

BLACKWELL, HOWARD WINCHESTER
SEAMAN 2ND CLASS US NAVY

• DATE OF DEATH: 05/17/1930
• BURIED AT: SECTION W.ENL  SITE 21681
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard